The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-03-18

less bulk, into the chair indicated.
He turned his blonde beard and blue
eyes hopelessly toward Mrs. de Sille,
as much as to say: Your knight is
conquered. Come and help him."
cannot remember a tenth the lady
said. Each newcomer seemed to add
fuel to the fire of her talk; bonmots, an
ecdotes, unexpected sallies flew from
her lips. She would lean forward in her
monOlogue, and every man-JaCk OF us
would fix his eyes on her. Yet not
one Of US could have sworn to her
features or coloring. The strain of
her conversation vas blended equally
of the past and present, always local,
full of names that are but ghosts to-
day, or are heard in that haunt of
ghosts, the Historical Society. Ino-
ticed a tendency to use French phrases
at every twist and turn. She spoke
Of Burr.
"Ah, there was q man! l was in
love with him, intellectually of course,
that I used to watch for him when he
came from his law office. 1t was not
the thing to know him. He was a
scapegrace, perhaps; but what a face,
what a spirit, what eyes, what a SOUL
Some day l must tell you how l got to
know him, and what l had to suffer
from my family in consequence"
AS she talked l noticed that she new
er allowed one of the group about her
to feel that he was not in the CONVEX
sation. Did his interest relax a mo-
ment or his thoughts wander from her,
she OWNED it instantly and was down
on him as quick as magic. Now it
was a direct question-alWays answer
ed by herself-now a turn of the head,
and again g. movement of the fan.
The group in the gallery attracted
general attention, and several couples
began to move toward it. At last l
saw that Mrs. de Stiles curiosity was
at its height and she was coming.
Doubtless, through all the flow OF
her "reminiscences and social conclu-
sions, the strange lady perceived this
quite as well as I. She rose suddenly,
motioned me to give her my arm,
saluted the group OF now standing
men with a Curtsey that was in itselfa
literal education for society, and car
RED me off down one flight of steps as
Mrs. de Sille began to ascend the 9th
or. Her little hand, clad in black
mitts, through which shown an
ivory skin, did not feel warm
or heavy. was there, but
it gave me an indescrlbable
feeling not chilly, but as the arm OF q
figure, and | detected in the air what
seemed a faint smell of lavender.
Chatting agreeably, she sauntered
with me across the ballroom, glancing
at the pictures, asking their names,
but seeming not to heed my answers.
Pausing at the door, / cast a look at
the gallery and saw Mrs. de SilIe loom.
ing outrageous at this uncivil depart
ure. She was in a quandary, not
knowing but that a merry peal of
laughter might appraise her of a joke
played by some young girl. AS we
went, people stopped and stared at
the gown, the embroidered stockings,
and the air of perfect aplomb. We
walked through fernery and hall, din
ing room and drawing rooms, till we
reached the grand hall, where the
stairway rises flight by fight through
the centre of the house.
"Wait for me here" she whispered.
II have TO arrange my dress; it is
very old, and / see a seam is break
ing. An revoir tant-tot-"
She ran lightly up the broad, dark
stairs, showing her perfect figure to
advantage as she moved and from the
landing above leaned over so that l
saw her dark eyes for a moment-and
let fall something that swirled and
swirled unevenly, like an autumn leaf,
down to where ! stood. IL was moth
ing but a sprig of immortelles such as
one associates with the grave, not
with ayoung woman capricious enough
to play a hoax on a ballroom, beauti-
full enough to hold the eyes of every
man who saw her.
/ waited patiently. The last guests
were going. Mrs. De Sille came with
them to the hall.
81 want you to stay" she cried.
"And1 must stay" said ]. ffor the
stranger-or some wonderful actress
among our iriends-it still up stairs
and babe me wait for her."
II thought my hostess looked agi-
tated, and FASTENED to assure her that
the lady could not have had wrong in
tentions; that she would be down
presently and doubtless reveal her
identity. A footman went up stairs,
returned, and reported from the maid
servants that all the ladies were gone.
impossible" saidI. "Not one lady
came down that stair whom / did not
know, nor one who could have played
that part. She is somewhere up
stairs"
"Mrs. de Sille was frightened. Orders
were given to the butler to have the
lower house thoroughly searched.
Then the first foor was ransacked. A.